Apparatus for ginning cotton.



J. W. GRAVES.

APPARATUS FOR GINNING COTTON.

APPLICATION IILED NOV. 22, 1905.

1,1 18,41 2. A Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

4 SHEETS--SHEET1.

fi/i/e 762? Mm- Z I m 75 6. 1 2444 77 4 arr gays:

THC NORRIS PETERS CO.F'NO1O LITNOQ WASHINGYON, D. C

J. W. GRAVES. APPARATUS FOR GINNING COTTON.

APPLICATION FILED NOV 22. 1905. 1 1 1 8,41 2. Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fi jfl/k 7 m W rHE NORRIS FEVERS C0 FHOIO LITHO WASHINGTON. D C

J. W. GRAVES.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA N.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1905- %.&W W v J. W. GRAVES. APPARATUS FOR GINNING COTTON.

APPLICATION FILED NOV, 22, 1905- Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

4 8HBBTS-SHEET 4.

THE Nome/5 PEIER!) (:0. PHOIO [IT/10.. WASH/"(11 m u (I nnrrnn STATES PATENT orriion.

JOHN W. GRAVES, or wnvrnnor, ilrnssacn ASSIGNMENTS, oroNn-Tmnrmrn ro o USETTS, Assrenon, BY manor AND MnsNn nann es s. YOUNG, or wmrnsor, MASSA- CI-IUSE'ITS, ONE-TENTH TO JANE snrnens, or NEWBURYPORT,MASSACHUSETTS;

AND TWENTY-SIX THIRTIETHS TO CHARLES 1?. BROWN, TRUSTEE, 0F READING,

MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR GINNING COTTON.

Application filed November 22,1905. Serial No. 288,558;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHNW. GRAVES, of lVinthrop, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Grinning Cotton, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cotton gins and has for its object to provide means by which a more rapid, thorough, and complete separation of lint cotton be accomplished than has been accomplished heretofore. p

Broadly considered,the manner in which my improved cotton gin operates may be described as the continuous progression of a mass, sheet or layer of seed cotton through the field of action of mechanical instrumentalities in such a way as to subject the sides of this sheet of seed cotton: alternately to different mechanical actions, each of which draws fibers of difi'erentlengths or characters from the seeds. By this mode of ginning cotton, a more thorough ginning will. result than from subjecting the seed cotton to the action of only one kind of mechanical action, or a number of actions or treatments by the same mechanical device. This mode of ginning cotton may be carried out in a machine which consists in a novel arrangement of mechanical parts whereby fibers of different lengths will be so engaged as not only tobe removed from the seed, but, if so desired, they may also be kept separated from fibers of other lengths and conveyed to differentreceptacles and put up in different bales or commercial packages.

For a thorough comprehension of the characteristic features of my invention, at-

tention is directed to the accompanying drawings, specification and claims, and in which,

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of one type of machine invented by me, for carrying out my improved method of ginning cotton, and in which, is shown the main frame, the main drive pulley, the several transmitting pulleys and belts, two of the gin cylinders and pneumatic tubes. Fig. 2 represents a vertical cross-section of Fig. 1 on the line were, showing one side of the main frame, feed-hopper, seed-cotton channel and casing for channel, gin cylinders,

from cotton seed may conveyer and traction rollers, annular eccentr c bearings, pneumatic tubes and lint flues. Figs. 3 and 3 represent partialclevations of the gin cylinders 7 and 7. Fig. l represents a side elevation of the machine, showing the position and direction of travel of the sev eral pulleys and belts and belt-tightener. Figs. 5 and 5 represent, longitudinal sections of gin cylinders 7 and 7 K Fig. (3 represents a fragmentary view of the toothed disk.

The same, reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 6 indicates a suitable frame upon and within which is mounted mechanism invented by me, suitable for carrying out my improved method of ginning cotton. I

, 7, 7 and 7" 'ndicate three differently constructod gin cylinders, 8 a feed-hopper, 10, 10*, 11, 11, 12 and 12 conveyer and traction rollers, 13, 14 and 15 shields or stripper bars, and 16, 17 and 18 casings for channel 9.

19, 19 and 19 indicate pneumatic tubes,

20, 20 and 20 lint flues,and 21 the main:

drive pulley. v y

22, 23, 2 1, 25, 26, 27,128, 29 and 530 repreratentea nowea, 1914.

sent transmitting pulleys, 31am idler and 32,

33 and 34: annular eccentric bearings.

35 36 and 37 represent pins that secure the bearings 32,33 and 3-1 in desired position.

38 39 and 10 representflsocket bearings for the conveyer and traction rollers and shields.

4:1, 4:2 and 13 represent pins for securing bearings 38, 39 and 10 in desired position.

1 represents a belt-tightening device consisting of a screw meshing with a wheel 44: on the eccentric bearing 11* of pulley 31.

:15. 46. 17. 18, 419, 50 and 51 represent transmitting belts passingover pulleys 101, 102, 111, 112, 121 and 122 connected to therespcctive rolls 10, 10*, 11, 11, 12, and 12*.

ticular, reference being had to Fig. 2, I state that by any suitable means the seed cotton is deposited in the feed hopper 8 and is allowed to fall into contact with the rotary gin cylinder7, the periphery of which is provided with cone-shaped, pointed teeth whichengage themassof cotton and carry,

tion of lint engaged by the cone-shaped teeth of the said cylinder and containing the longest and most tightly packed: fibers. The conveyer rollers 10 and 10 act to force the sheet of seed cotton downwardly in the channel 9 and bring the other side thereof into contact with the gin cylinder 7, the

periphery of which is composed of alternate longitudinal sections of cone teeth and friction surfaces. The cone teeth act to force the sheet downwardly until obstructed by the shield i l and conveyer roller 11, to which I give a peripheral travel of only 75% of the cylinder 7. The dentate sections of cylinder 7 perform the two-fold function of extracting a considerable portion of thelint directly from the seed, and

of engaging and drawing other fibers past the shield 14: into such position as to be engaged by the traction roller 11 in contact with the friction surface of cylinder 7 and nipped between the roll and cylinder, whereby the fibers thus engaged are also drawn off from the seed.

By the rotary action of cylinder 7 and conveyer roller 11, the unginned portion of seed cotton is forced downward-1y in the channel 9 and acted upon by the gin cylinder 7, the periphery of which is composed entirely of friction material which acts to engage the fibers, and, by impinging the seeds against the stripper shield 15, to pull off the'last of the fibers and so: complete the ginning process.

The conveyor rollers 12 and 12 have a peripheral travel of 75% of gin cylinder 7 for the same purpose as that above described. Gin cylinder '7 is given a velocity of only 75% of cylinder 7, andgin cylinder 7 a velocity of only 75% of that of cylinder 7 This is to enable the mass of cotton to become packed against each cylinder and to compensate for the mass removed by the preceding cylinder.

By the action ofa presser blower, a current of air is forced through the'pneumatic tube 19 and eXpels the fibers through fine 20 extracted by cylinder 7. A like process is performed by pneumatic tubes 19 and 19 through fiuesQO and 20 and thus the fibers of different lengths extracted by the several cylinders may be discharged into separate receptacles and separately packed. I

It will be observed that the drawings show the rotary parts mounted in eccentric bearings. The purpose of this is to permit gin cylinders to be quickly and easily ade 'justed toward the shields and rolls to comstructed cylinders and auxiliary parts, I

am thereby enabled to engage fibers of different lengths. By the employment of different outlet flues, I am able to keep the different lengths of fiber separated. By alternating the action of the ginning de vices from side to. side of the sheet of seed cotton, I am able to get more rapid results. By combing or pulling the fiber from the seed by pointed, cone-shaped, rather than saw-like teeth, I am able to get the fiber of full length, uninjured, uncut and unbroken. By the employment of the several different devices, I am able to extract all the fiber from the seed, for the last cylinder, which acts wholly by friction, is able to catch the last'fibers remaining in the seeds 1 which are too thinand too well combed out to be caught by the teeth, as well as too short to be nipped between the roll 11 and cylinder 'Z and to draw such fibers past the shield 15; leaving. the seeds, now practically bare, to fall out between the rolls 12 andlQ. a

By the combination of the several features of advantage in my improved method and means of ginning. cotton, I am able to get a greater quantity and better quality of fiber than has been obtained by previous methods and means. By ginning, cotton more rapidly, getting a lar er and better yield of fiber, and at less cost. of operation than by other methods. and. means, my method also becomesmore economical than old methods and means. i u

While I show but three differently constructed gin cylinders and auxiliary parts, I do not wish to be understood as confining my invention to only that number and arrangement of parts,,or tothe particular type of machine shown, as many and wide variations may bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Broadly considered, my method consists in continuously progressing, a sheet of seed cotton through an apparatus suitably arranged to act upon alternate opposite sides and provided with such parts as will engage fibers of different lengths, separate them from the seed, and convey the dilferent lengths to desired receptacles.

I claim 1. An apparatus for ginning seed cotton which comprises means for combing a mass of the cotton to remove the long or matted fibers, means for grasping the fibers of less length and pulling them from the seeds, and means for holding the seeds and rubbing them to remove the shortest fibers.

A cotton gin, comprising a combing member, and a combing and rubbing member, arranged to act successively on seed cotton fed into the gin, and means for holding the cotton up to said members, whereby the latter are enabled first to pull out long,

and matted fibers, and then to grasp and pull remaining unmatted fibers from the seeds.

A cotton gin comprising combing means, nipping means, frictional means, and guides for leading the material thereto and causingsaid means to act successively on seed-cotton fed to the gin and draw therefrom fibers of diminishing lengths.

4. A cotton gin comprising a combing device arranged to act on seed'cotton fed to the gin, a device having a surface alternately toothed and toothless located to act on the cotton subsequently to the action of the combing device, a gripper cooperating with the toothless portions of said device to grip fibers left by the toothed portions thereof, and draw such fibers from the seeds, and means having a relatively-smooth, frictional surface for removing the fibers left adhering to the seeds by the previous devices.

5. A cotton gin comprising a toothed cy1-,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for minishing mass of seed-cotton, ginning means whichare respectively toothed, partly toothed and partly smooth, and entirely smooth, on opposite sides of said passage and at different levels arranged to act successively on alternate sides of the cotton, and constructed for removing therefrom fibers of successively-diminishing lengths.

7. A cotton gin having a passage shaped with diminishing cross-sectional areas from,

its inlet to its outlet, and arranged to permit progress thercthrough of a graduallydiminishing mass of seed-cotton, ginning means on opposite sides of said passage and at different distances from its inlet arranged to act successively on alternate sides of the cotton, and constructed for removing therefrom fibers of lengths, and devices constructed and arsuccessively-diminishing anged for feeding the cotton from the several ginning means and simultaneously retarding and crowding the mass against the ginning means.

8. A cotton gin, comprising a plurality of instrumentahties constructed for combing,

and pulling fibers, by frictional action, re

spectively, and provisions for bringing said instrumentalities into action successively on seed-cotton fed into the gin.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. GRAVES.

Witnesses:

C. F. Brown, A. G. RATIGAN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C. 

